


white rabbit

by Moonstruckidiot



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: AU, First Kiss, Fluff, Hannibal Loves Will, Hannibal is a Cannibal, Humour, M/M, Will Loves Hannibal, plot bunnies literally
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-13 00:06:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11172855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonstruckidiot/pseuds/Moonstruckidiot
Summary: I'm half way through writing the next chapter of Omega Mine and got distracted by this idea...Hannibal finds a rabbit, he takes it home, they get on quite well. Magic happens.or you got to kiss a lot of rabbits before you meet your beautiful prince





	white rabbit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [You_Are_As_Alone_As_I_Am](https://archiveofourown.org/users/You_Are_As_Alone_As_I_Am/gifts).



> I'm posting this before I go to bed, I'll check for mistakes tomorrow
> 
> No Beta
> 
> gifting this to the lovely 'you are as alone as I am' she loves rabbits :)

There is an over turned rubbish bin on Hannibal Lecter’s property, it is the third time this week. Once can be ‘just one of those things’, twice gives pause for thought, thrice and Hannibal feels targeted. The culprit needs to be caught and dealt with.

Hannibal changes his plans for Thursday. He only had one patient and they were happy to rearrange their appointment once the offer of a free session was made. So instead of spending his day at the office Hannibal sets up surveillance equipment to cover the designated bin area just under his outside steps.

With a live feed into his laptop Hannibal sits in his study waiting for the culprit to show his or her face. Sitting and waiting is something Hannibal is good at, it is essential, after all, for his nocturnal hobbies. Even so it is, in this case, an inconvenience. As the master of his own destiny Hannibal prefers to be the one who decides when and for whom he will sit and wait. The bin vandal has foisted themselves upon him at a time when he had other things to do. The vandal will pay that is certain and Hannibal will have fresh meat for his table.

Hours have passed and the bin is undisturbed. A lesser man might give up, but patience is a virtue for a hunter and if Hannibal is nothing else he is a world class hunter.

His time is occupied by sketching. He has chosen to reproduce Micheangelo’s ‘night.’ The left breast is an enigma, some argue that the artist did not have great affinity with the female form whilst others that he knowingly reproduced the physical signs of cancer. It is an interesting question and Hannibal can see evidence for the latter argument in the breast abnormalities. It distracts him from the screen for a moment, and that is all the bin vandal needs.

Putting down his pencil Hannibal moves and is at the front door in the blink of an eye. As quick as the vandal may be Hannibal will always be quicker. He is down the steps and face to face with the culprit before either of them can say, “Hoppity Hop.” Not that a rabbit can talk especially when it is munching through carrot tops, apple cores and a few spinach leaves.

“Well, well,” he says as he settles down onto his haunches. “What do we have here.”

The rabbit looks like someone’s pet, it has big blue eyes, white fur and long ears. For something which may have been living rough for a while it looks to be in reasonable condition. It might be a bit underweight but Hannibal is not an expert on rabbits, or animals in general, so he could be wrong.

There are a number of ways to deal with the furry vandal but after due consideration Hannibal decides he cannot just leave it out on the street where it might get injured. So he sits down, his posture open and waits for the rabbit to come and explore him. He offers his hand to sniff, the rabbit does not seem scared and appears undisturbed when Hannibal strokes him.

Several hours pass before Hannibal enters his house with his arms full of rabbit. He did check the fur for signs of fleas, thankfully there were none or he might have had to rethink his plans.

The first thing Hannibal does is head for the kitchen. He puts the rabbit on the floor, the surface will be easy to clean if the animal makes any mess, and then puts on a boiling pan of water for the evening meal.

Hannibal checks to see where the rabbit is and he furrows his brow when he sees it with its head tucked in and ears very flat, worried is how he would interpret it. He looks at the pan, realisation dawns.

“Ah, there is no need to worry little rabbit,” he says. “I have no taste for your flesh. Would you like another carrot?” Before his eyes the rabbit seems to relax and Hannibal gives a little hum in satisfaction. They spend the remainder of the day in the kitchen, Hannibal cooks and talks to the rabbit it seems to soothes the animal.

Bed time is never something Hannibal gives much thought to but with a guest in the house arrangements need to be made. He finds a large box, used to deliver his groceries, pads it with blankets adds some lettuce leaves and explains to the rabbit that this is where he will be spending the night. The rabbit looks at Hannibal with big blue eyes and he could swear there is understanding.

In the morning when Hannibal comes down to make his first coffee of the day he finds a few ‘presents’ on the floor, he gets the dust pan and brush out and cleans up. It was nothing too bad, he’s cleaned up far worse.

“Good morning,” Hannibal says to the rabbit. “I hoped you slept well.“

The rabbit appears to be minding its own business grooming itself. Satisfied that the rabbit isn’t too distressed after spending the night in unfamiliar surroundings Hannibal forages in his pantry and finds a few blueberries and a strawberry, he places them a short distance from the box. He then goes about preparing his own breakfast, something quick and simple will do. Once he’s cooked some eggs he brings his plate to the kitchen counter and gets out his tablet.

“You’re a very pretty rabbit, you must have an owner,” says Hannibal out loud but the rabbit provides no clues. There are no missing white rabbits in the lost section of local animal sites but Hannibal does post his own found message.

He looks at the rabbit, who is now eating a blueberry. “I’ve taken the liberty of ordering some supplies from the pet store, they will be delivered later so you wont need to be in that box too long.”

The rabbit looks at him and much to Hannibal’s surprise he’s sure he can hear a low purr.

Despite enquiries no one comes forward as the owner of the rabbit and the two fall into an easy companionship. The rabbit, who Hannibal finally names Potter, after Beatrix not the boy wizard, has the run of much of the house. When Hannibal walks through the door after a day in the office Potter comes running, legs kicking out full of excitement. It makes Hannibal feel warmth in his heart, not something he ever expected.

It isn’t just having something excited to see him but those blue eyes of Potters seem tosee everything and never shy away. When human lungs, liver or even the odd leg are prepared the rabbit sits quietly, eating some hay, whilst looking at Hannibal. Hannibal is convinced that Potter knows exactly what is going on, it’s ridiculous but he can’t shake the feeling. Even if, by some miracle Potter does see Hannibal for who he is it is not as if he can tell anyone, he is a rabbit after all. 

It has become a routine that after Hannibal prepares and eats his meal they retire to the study. Potter likes to nose around the room getting right up to anything in reach of his nose and have a good sniff and a feel. This occupies him for an hour or so before he wanders over to Hannibal, settles by his leg and with large eyes asks to be picked up. Every once in a while Hannibal chuckles to himself at the idea of the cannibalistic serial killer with a white rabbit sat on his lap. Stranger things may have happened but then again may be not.

The motion of running his hand over the soft white fur can become hypnotic, especially if Hannibal is a little tired or a little drunk. It is soothing and relaxing. It is times like this that Hannibal feels most affection for Potter. The rabbit snug against him just so trusting and, so Hannibal feels, innocent. It is the drink, Hannibal thinks, when he leans down and places a kiss on Potter’s head.

It is not like in the movies, there is no music or twinkling lights, but one minute there is a rabbit on Hannibal’s lap and the next a naked man.

“Hello Hannibal, its nice to meet you properly at last.”

Hannibal looks at the glass of wine in his right hand, it must be the drink, or may be he’s dreaming. The weight on his lap though feels very real.

“Hello...” he manages to stutter out. Very little can make the serial killing psychiatrist lost for words but this is one of those times. 

“My name is Will. Potter is a very nice name but I prefer Will.”

Will shifts a little in Hannibal’s lap, but makes no move to get off, he’s quite comfortable.

“Well yes, it is good to meet you too Will,” says Hannibal realising that this may in deed be real. If it is then he is quite a happy man, Will is rather beautiful.

“You have nice hands,” remarks Will with a grin.

“Oh, oh,” says Hannibal when he realises that his hand is stroking the firm smooth flesh of Will’s thigh. He abruptly stops and, with not a small amount of regret, removes his hand completely. 

“I didn’t mean you should stop,” says Will picking up Hannibal’s hand and putting it back where it was.

Will’s smile is devilish all bright eyes and temptation, it draws Hannibal closer he’d like to taste those pink lips.

As much, as in this moment he wishes he could, Hannibal cannot turn off his enquiring mind, he sighs and sits back. “How?” he asks.

“A man called Frederick Chilton, I refused his advances and he turned me,” replies Will. “He had an old spell book and I think he was as surprised as I was when it worked.”

“Was he now,” says Hannibal. He knows exactly who Chilton is and he will gladly relieve him of his book and his life.

“What meat would you like for dinner tomorrow?” asks Hannibal.

“Lung,” replies Will a knowing glint in his eyes. 

And with that Will decides there will be no more talking tonight, he moves forward softly rubbing their noses together before placing a kiss on Hannibal’s lips.


End file.
